Sunday, February 10, 2008

Reporters' Notebooks

Chris Gabel, Reno Gazette-Journal: Mark Hodges, the coach at Fernley High, could lose his job over the Kevin Hart hoax.

Paul Finebaum, Mobile Press-Register: Now that the results from the 2008 recruiting class are in and Alabama's Nick Saban has soundly beaten Tommy Tuberville to a bloody pulp, it's clear the party is over for Auburn.

John Pruett, Huntsville Times: A newsletter from the Football Writers Association of America arrived the other day and one thing is clear: The divide between coaches and reporters is widening.

Levi Pulkkinen, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Randy Simmons, a member of the Los Angeles police department's SWAT team who was shot and killed last week, was a former Washington State cornerback.

Craig Smith, Seattle Times: New Washington State coach Paul Wulff will make $600,000 a year under the five-year contract he recently signed.

Jeff Carroll and Bob Wieneke, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame's recruiting class takes its first hit. Safety recruit Dan McCarthy recently underwent corrective surgery on his neck and will likely use next season as a medical redshirt.

Jame Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press: Yes, there is a snake-oily feel to Rich Rodriguez. But Michigan fans feel this way: "He's our snake oil salesman." And that's all that matters.

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinel: Florida State, facing an academic fraud scandal that will leave Coach Bobby Bowden's team short-handed, the Seminoles will open their 2008 season against two of the weaker teams they've played in recent memory.

Jeff Rice, Centre Daily Times: Penn State receiver Chris Bell and defensive tackle Phil Taylor are "not participating with the team" until their academic and off-field issues are resolved.

Alan Trubow, Austin American-Statesman: Twelve of the top 50 players in Texas high schools in 2009 are said to be quarterbacks.